Chapter 31 Uncle’s

<Mia>

I glanced at the glass of milk that one of their household members had given me. I stared at it and took a sip. Is milk supposed to taste bitter? Why does it taste so bitter? I prefer Rose's milk, it's just the right temperature.

"I already saw her, and she's kind," Ann added.

I didn't join in their conversation. I’m listening.

"Really?! I heard from others that she's pretty and kind. I'm curious what she looks like! Maybe I'll get a free dermatology consultation from her if I get close to her!" Maira exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh, wait! I have a picture of her," sister Ann said, and Maira eagerly approached her to look at the picture on her cellphone.

As they talked, it felt like I wasn't even here. Hello, a little respect, please. Even if she wasn't Ethan's wife, I should still be given some respect.

"Wow! She has such long legs, and she's tall. I think she and Ethan are about the same height," Maira commented while looking at the picture. She was now the one holding sister Ann's cellphone.

I decided to eat my eggs to ease my frustrations.

Ann suddenly looked at me and smiled.

"Maira, Mia is here! Please be sensitive. They might end up fighting because of you," Ann said to her cousin.

Maira looked at me and asked, "Are you jealous?"

"Uh, ah... hmm," I didn't know how to answer.

"You shouldn't be. Besides, this isn't Ethan's type. He might not like her, and besides, you're the one who became his wife."

"Be sensitive," sister Ann insisted.

"Why, sister?! Me and my guy friend had sex, and after that, it was like nothing happened between us. Let's be open-minded here and not take everything to heart."

She's so vulgar.

They're really open about everything.

"That's you, not Mia," Ate defended.

"Even so! She should use that!" Maira argued.

sister just shook her head and smiled at me. I returned the smile to let her know that it's okay.

I'm beautiful too.

I was done and needed some fresh air, so I decided to go to the backyard while they were busy with their conversation.

What are Ethan's standards for women? And if that doctor is beautiful, why didn't he marry her instead?

"Sort it out, or else we might not inherit anything when that old man dies," I stopped in my tracks and looked at the person who spoke.

I saw four men talking, one of them smoking. I don't know their names.

"Let it be if we don't inherit anything. I have plenty of properties anyway."

"Tsk! Maybe he'll give most of his wealth to Mark, his lazy grandson who does nothing with his life. He's so lazy, doesn't even have a job, but eats five times a day," the man smoking said.

"The favorite grandchild. He also favors the twins. Maybe he'll give one of his lands in Zambales to Nathan, that guy he wants to set up a business," a man in a blue shirt added.

"He bought Mark a car, but he didn't give me anything," another man complained.

This person is also Ethan's cousin, huh.

"You should ask him for half of the land he'll give to Ethan."

Tsk! They want to share in our wealth, the audacity!

"Let it be, that person doesn't have any money. They're the low-profile one among us. Let's not take that, Dad, that might be the only properties Ethan will receive," and they laughed.

I'm aware that Ethan isn't that wealthy, but they're going too far. If we become rich, I'll oppress them.

I have plenty of properties waiting for me. We're rich. I mean, my dad is rich, but he doesn't want to give them to me until I straighten up, he says. It's as if he's so righteous. He's such a dictator, too judgmental. It's like he doesn't see me as his child. He always oppresses me.

"If we don't inherit anything from that old man, let's prepare legal documents stating that he'll give us his wealth... If he grants Mark rights in the hospital, it might be the start of our hospital's downfall."

His son laughed at what he said.

The man wearing the white long-sleeved polo said. They were drinking wine while conversing.

"It's also an option instead of giving everything to his grandchildren. And to Aurora and Theodore."

"If I'm not given anything by that old man, I'll take it all now, in the Lord's name," said the person smoking, referring to the old man.

"What's that smell?" one of their children asked.

They sniffed the air.

"Yeah, it smells like a dead rat," one of them commented. I was close to them, so maybe that's why they smelled it, or perhaps they just have a strong sense of smell.

"It's so foul! Are there rats in the garden? The household staff must not be cleaning here!" the person in the blue long-sleeved shirt exclaimed, covering their nose.

"It smells like an expired egg," the same child said again. That person's child, the dentist, seems to be quite arrogant.

"It's so disgusting!"

They all covered their noses.

"Maybe it's the plants, they were fertilized with cow dung." Innocently blamed the uncle in white for the foul smell.

I decided to leave them and avoid being seen. I also needed to relieve myself. I'll just go to the bathroom near the kitchen so Ethan won't find out in our room. I've been holding it in since yesterday.

It feels good to have a bowel movement.

I successfully released all the negative emotions in the toilet. One flush and my frustrations and grievances fade away.

I walked with a smile until I suddenly stopped.

I saw an angel sitting on one of the chairs at the dining table. Her skin was smooth and she had a tanned complexion. Her makeup was light, and she looked like a carefree woman. She was very feminine. Her presence was captivating. With just one look at her, you'd fall in love.

She was dressed simply, wearing high-waisted pants and a plain white shirt. I glanced at what Ethan was wearing.

I clenched my fists. They were both wearing plain white shirts. They were like a couple.

The woman seemed happy talking to my husband. Meanwhile, Ethan had no expression on his face and had no interest in drinking his coffee. He wasn't looking at the woman but rather at his coffee. It's as if he was alone.

Why are they the only ones here?

"Wife..." Ethan called out to me happily when he saw me standing nearby. He approached me and kissed me on the lips, right in front of the fairy girl.

She didn't look like a fairy at all. She was unattractive in my eyes. She may be beautiful to others, but not to me.

"Good morning, you didn't wake me up again," he said in a slightly annoyed tone, while he held my hand.

"Have you eaten?" he asked affectionately.

"Is she your wife, Ethan?" Fairy girl noticed and asked about me.

Because Ethan has a naturally aloof personality, he didn't pay any attention to the woman and focused solely on me.

"Where did you go?" he asked with a furrowed brow. "I asked everyone, but they didn't know where you were."

I forgot to answer the woman's question, especially when fork fell on the tiles. I knew she did it on purpose to get Ethan's attention.

"Well, why didn't you look for me?" I replied bitterly.

My forehead creased even more.

He was about to answer when the woman approached us.

"I was looking for you around the house, and I even called you, but you didn't answer my call," she said, expressing a hint of resentment.

"Doc Ethan, can I talk to you? I heard from your aunt that you have knowledge about medical field," Fairy asked.

What nerve she had, coming up to us like that.

Ethan ignored her.

"Where did you go?" he asked me again, sounding annoyed.

Why am I even talking to him? I told myself I won't pay attention to him.

"Ethan, someone is talking to you," I said softly to him.

His brow furrowed even more.

He faced the woman and reluctantly started conversing with her. I glanced at our hands, he was still holding mine, and he stayed close to me.

"Ask my uncles and aunties about those matters. They are more knowledgeable in that field than I am," he forced himself to say to the woman, then he pulled me towards the dining table.

Ugh, this guy is so cold.

Doesn't he feel any attraction towards the woman? She's beautiful, you know. She may be simple, but she has a strong presence.

“Do you wanna eat again?” He asked me as he sat beside me.

Fairy followed us and sat in front of us.

"Have you eaten? Join him," I invited her with a slight smile.

"I'm fine with my coffee," she said and took another sip.

"How many cups of coffee have you drink this morning?" I asked my companion as I took a sip from his coffee.

"Just one," he replied, licking his lower lip as he scooped up some bacon.

"I just woke up, and you left me again."

I discreetly rolled my eyes at his melodramatics. It's as if I went to another country because of his behavior.

"I'm sorry, mister. I was thirsty, and you were sleeping so soundly that I didn't want to wake you up," I explained as I took another sip from his coffee.

"This is delicious. Did you make this?" I pointed to the cup of coffee I was holding.

He lazily nodded at me.

"Let me feed you," he said.

I shook my head. I might end up needing to go to the bathroom again because of all the food I ate.

"I'm already full. You can have your coffee back," I said, even though I had already finished it. His coffee was so well brewed.

"You can have everything I have; you don't need to ask," he said as he spread the filling on his bread.

I had rice earlier, so I was really full.

Fairy cleared her throat, catching our attention. What's this witch's problem?

"Doc Ethan, if you don't mind, can we talk alone?"

Huh? Alone?

“We don’t have something to talk.” Ethan said straightforwardly without even glancing at her.

The woman looked like she was about to cry.

"Baby, do you wanna have a taste?" he said. I looked at the bread he was holding, filled with various ingredients.

"It's all yours. Don't worry about me, and besides, I've eaten a lot earlier. You should eat more, hubby, you're losing weight," I purposely acted sweet in front of her, emphasizing each word.

I saw her tearing up.

"What if our marriage didn't get canceled, huh? I bet we would both be happy and have kids by now. If your grandfather didn't cancel our marriage, I bet we'd be happily married." Fairy said.

What is this woman talking about? In her dreams! She pities herself because Ethan was forced to marry me. And what is she fighting for? Doesn't she know how to respect boundaries? The legal wife is right here, and she's saying all these things. She's out of line.

"Why did your grandfather cancel your supposed marriage?" I asked because it seemed like my companion had no intention of engaging in conversation with her.

"Because he said he would marry you instead," this woman said straightforwardly.

"Wife, can you check my finger? I think I cut it. It hurts," Ethan suddenly said to me, and I took his hand to examine his finger for any injuries.

I examined it.

"It's fine."

"I'll check it," this obnoxious woman volunteered shyly.